As the April showers kickstart all the May flowers, it’s time again for the Great Smoky Mountains Food Truck Festival. In its second year running, this festival brings all the best food trucks from miles around to show off their most popular dishes. As they roll out the comfort food, sweet treats, and so much more, everyone can get a taste of the best flavors served in this region. There are also tons of fun games, spectacular views, and friendships just waiting to be made, so put this event on your calendar and get ready for the festivities.
Running Rain or Shine on May 1st, 2021 from 11 am to 7 pm
The official festival starts at 11 am on Saturday, May 1st, 2021, rain or shine, at the Little Arrow Outdoor Resort. The fun goes through 7 pm that evening, giving you plenty of time to get your grub on. Entry is halted at 6 pm to allow late arrivals enough time to get their food and eat up.
Admission tickets are already available on Eventbrite and come with a parking pass and access to the shuttle. Since the food trucks take up all the camping spots at the venue, you’ll have to park your car at the Townsend Burger Master instead. But that’s no big deal since they’ll be running their parking shuttle all day long.
Children 12 and under get free admission with a paying adult. Be sure to bring a water bottle for each person in your group to reduce your environmental impact. Also, bring cash if you can. Although many of the food trucks accept debit and credit cards, not all do and you don’t want to miss out.
Before you pay for admission in advance, remember that ticket sales are final. They are not offering refunds for any reason, so be sure you can go before signing up.
Attendees Age 21 and Up Can Get VIP Tickets for the Night Before
Although the plans are still in the works, this festival will likely include a 21 and up VIP dinner on April 30, 2021. The dinner will run from 6 pm to 9 pm after all the food trucks get set up in their individual campgrounds.
Ticket sales haven’t started yet, but when they do, they will come with admission to the Saturday festival as well. Both sets of tickets come with awesome swag that will serve as your memento of this food truck experience and a reminder to come back in the following years.
Get to All the Awesome Food Trucks for a Bite to Eat
Food trucks come from far and wide for a chance to set up at this festival and serve their tastiest dishes. The lineup has not yet been pinned down for this year, but the organizers are expecting to see more than 20 food trucks show up.
The most likely participants include:
- Lu Lu Liquor Cakes
- Knox Vittles
- Wander Woman Eats
- DaddyO’s
- The Burns and the Bees
- Burger Rito
- Dragon Cupbop
- Geno’s Curbside Diner
- REO Cheesewagon
Every last one will come through with hand-curated menus dreamed up for this festival. They will likely have all their fan favorites plus tons of new offerings designed to delight the crowds.
Once you grab your selections, you can mosey over to the covered seats to stay warm, dry, and comfortable as you dine. You can chill there for as long as you want, then get back through the options to tantalize your tastebuds all over again.
Play Games and Chill by the Campfire
If you need a little bit more time between bites to eat, you can wander around the campgrounds in search of fun games. At various places across the venue, they will have lots of gaming sessions set up, including cornhole and horseshoes. Be prepared for quite a wait between games, especially as the competitive spirit gets fired up.
You can also kick back and chill by the campfire if you fill up too much and need some downtime to recover. They will keep the fire roaring all throughout the event, giving you a place to tell tall tales, sing songs, or just doze off a bit before hitting the food truck circuit once again. You’re sure to meet tons of new friends and even run into old buddies from yesteryear as you relax by the fire.
Take in All the Beautiful Sights and Sounds
As you move from food truck to your preferred seats and back again, don’t forget to take in all the beautiful sights and sounds around you. The campgrounds sit right along the Little River, giving you a chance to watch that gorgeous waterway in action.
You’ll also be surrounded by the beauty of the mountains beyond, which never fail to delight onlookers. If you’re lucky, you might even catch sight of the awesome wildlife that call the mountains and river their home.
After you get your fill of all the amazing food and fun, you can catch the shuttle back to the parking lot and head home. Don’t forget to put your swag on full display to remind you to come back in 2022 and beyond. An event this popular is sure to continue through the years, so make it a tradition to attend each one through the decades.
